this post was submitted on 17 Apr 2024
523 points (98.9% liked)

Science Memes

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523
Is this a 16th-century smartphone? (lemmy.world)
submitted 4 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
22 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 
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[–] [email protected] 62 points 4 months ago

You can't use it as a phone, so yes

[–] [email protected] 32 points 4 months ago

OpenSource, no ads, nor tracking or logging, anonymous. no account needed, but not a Phone

[–] [email protected] 25 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (2 children)

Looks like a flip book made of gold. Flip those pages fast enough and it animates the stars moving across the sky!

[–] [email protected] 19 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I suspect it's brass or just gold plated. Gold on it's own would not be particularly durable. Unless this was meant to be like those spinny clocks grandpa had on his window sill- purely decorative.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 4 months ago

I suspect it's a steampunk necronomicon.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 months ago (1 children)

50kg flip book

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

If a page comes loose it could chip your spectacles.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 4 months ago (2 children)

I think the term "PDA" dates back to about then.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Personal ...Dubious(..?) Assistant?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 months ago

Position determinating assistant

[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 months ago (1 children)

How big is this thing? I have no sense of scale here.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 4 months ago (3 children)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

"Perhaps we could re-choreograph the dance so it wouldn't be in danger of being knocked over?"

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

For others that also didn't know what this means: https://norselandsrock.com/stonehenge-spinal-tap/

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago

I thought I had volvelles in high school, but it just turned out to be a cold.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago (2 children)

What are the blank pages for? Are you supposed to engrave your notes on them?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

My guess would be to add area specific star patterns to make local traveling easier.

Like having a detail specific map for each specific point of interest.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

I was wondering that myself!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago

I wonder how the lunar volvelles worked

Sounds like it’s based on the moon obviously, so what happens if it’s below the horizon or in the new moon phase?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

even if it folds up a bit it still looks really bulky.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 4 months ago

Dude, it's technology from 500+ years ago. Give 'em a break